Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

The rise and fall of Fascism in Italy, c1911-1946 > the creation of a fascist dictatorship, 1922-26 > Flashcards

the creation of a fascist dictatorship, 1922-26 Flashcards

LO: parliamentary compromise and coercion, controlling the PNF, the Acerbo Law and Matteotti crisis, repression in 1925 and constitutional amendments 1925-26

1
Q

when was Mussolini’s speech to the Chamber of Deputies?

A

16 November 1922

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what did Mussolini say in his speech?

A

he demanded full powers that would allow him to govern by himself which indicated that the fascists were prepared to close the Italian parlt.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what did Mussolini say about the king and church in the speech?

A

he credited the king for preventing a civil war by refusing to introduce martial law, and also emphasised the significance of the Catholic Church within culture and society

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what did Mussolini promise in his speech?

A

to uphold constitutional liberties and the law, even against fascist violence, but made it clear that he could dissolve the Chamber whenever he saw fit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

did parliament give Mussolini emergency powers?

A

yes- Italian deputies inc. liberals such as Giolitti and Salandra, voted 196 to 16 to grant the powers he had demanded for one year only

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what was the division between the ras (e.g. Farinacci)?

A

Farinacci advocated the closing of all political parties and the Italian parlt. Mussolini realised this would require a revolution and illegal actions which he was not prepared to undertake

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what was Mussolini’s over strategy to consolidate power?

A

he emphasised the need to work with the established political structures and supported ‘normalisation’

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what does the term ‘normalisation’ mean?

A

historians have used this term to describe Mussolini’s wish to end violence and return to normal constitutional political methods

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what was Farinacci tasked with and why?

A

he was made party secretary by Mussolini in February, which allowed him to exert more control over the radical fascists.
he tasked him with purging the party of those radicals who would not accept Mussolini’s political direction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

how did Farinacci help Mussolini exert more control of the PNF?

A

he increased fascist membership from 600,000 to 938,000, diluting the power of the squadristi and increasing the numbers within the party who saw membership of the party and loyalty to Mussolini as a career advantage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

how did Mussolini deal with the more violent/radical fascists?

A

fascists such as Cesare de Vecchi, who continued to suport violent action towards his local political enemies and opponents.
he did this by sending de Vecchi to govern Italian Somaliland

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what was the fascist militia (MSVN) and when was it founded?

A

January 1923
Mussolini created it to ‘defend the fascist revolution’
it consisted of 300,000 Blackshirts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what was the main function for the MSVN?

A

it had no real political power and served mainly to strengthen Mussolini’s control of the Italian Fascist movement.
they took an oath of loyalty to Mussolini himself, rather than to the king or the govt

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

how did the MSVN help to weaken the authority of the local ras?

A

former army officers were placed in charge of local units, which resulted in the expulsion of more than 200 ras from the fascist party

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

when was the Fascist Grand Council created and why?

A

it was created in December 1922 to reassure leading fascists of their significance within Italy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what was the role of the Fascist Grand Council?

A

to act as a consultative committee where leading fascists would meet to discuss key political issues

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what two purposes did the Fascist Grand Council serve?

A

it was another mechanism by which mussolini could exert his control over leading memebrs of the fascist movement, particularly the PNF
the council was made to discuss and approve govt policy before it was sent to the cabinet and parliament for approval

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

how did the Fascist Grand council work ? (members, when they met etc)

A

Mussolini chose the 22 members, giving him a large degree of control and patronage over the group, which met once a month

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

give a statistic to show the growth in PNF membership from 1922-23

A

it grew from 300,000 in October 1922 to 783,000 by the end of 1923

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what was the significance of the growth of PNF?

A

it helped to dilute the more radical elements of the Fascsit movement who may have opposed Mussolini’s policy of normalisation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

why did people join the PNF?

A

new members were interested in the patronage that party membership could offer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

when did the Italian Nationalist Association (ANI) merge with the PNF and who was it led by?

A

Corradini
February 1923

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what was the party makeup of the ANI?

A

the nationalists consisted of the upper middle classes such as landowners and members of the civil service
they were active supported of the monarchy and conservative issues

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what was the significance of the PNF ANI merger?

A

it helped weaken the more extreme fascist ideas and policies and allowed Mussolini to establish firm control over the fascist movement by the mid-1920s

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
why was the Acerbo Lar proposed?
to make Mussolini's control over Italian politics and power more permanent and unassailable, he came up with a measure proposed by the fascist Giacomo Acerbo
26
when was the Acerbo Law passed and when did it come to effect?
it was passed in July 1923 the Chamber of Deputies and first came into effect in the April 1924 elections
27
what was the weakness in the system of proportional representation?
it frequently led to many groups gaining seats in the chamber, making it difficult to reach a political consensus, which Mussolini sought to end by establishing total fascist dominance
28
what were the changes to the electoral system?
- political parties submit lists of candidates for constituencies - party with most votes (if it secures at least 25%) received 2/3 of seats in Chamber of Deputies - remaining 1/3 seats are allocated proportionally to other parties
29
why did Italian liberals support proposals?
they backed the plans as they felt it would help end the political instability that had plagued the political system since the end of WW1
30
why did right-wing (and liberal) politicians support this proposals?
they thought this would undermine support for the socialists, who found it difficult to build links to other political groupings
31
what were Mussolini's reasons for proposals?
he argued reform would result in a govt that had support of large majority of MPs, and it would bring an end to weak coalition govts and help secure a permanent fascist majority
32
who opposed the proposals?
socialists and communists
33
when were they passed and by how many votes?
july 1923 - 235 to 139
34
how did Mussolini use threats and intimidation during the passage of proposals through CofD?
he threatened to close the chamber and rule by decree instead he also arranged for armed Blackshirts to be present within the chamber to intimidate politicians
35
when were the next elections?
6 April 1924
36
how did Mussolini's election campaign go?
the fascists joined forces wth right wing liberals like Salandra during campaign, after which the number of fascists and their allies gained 66% of the vote
37
by how much did the number of fascist MPs increase after the election?
from 35 to 374
38
how did Mussolini use violence and intimidation during campaign?
his success was achieved by the use of violence and intimidation through the Blackshirts and ballot rigging
39
give a key example of use of intimidation and violence during electoral campaign
campaign was marked by violence as fascist Blackshirts destroyed hundreds of opposition clubs and offices and even murdered PSI candidate Antonion Piccinini
40
what was the turnout?
64%
41
what % of vote did fascists get?
66.3%
42
what was the main reason for the PNF's victory?
due to the weakness of the opposition, the electoral support of prominent liberal politicians and a genuine belief that mussolini could provide strong leadership that Italy needed to overcome its numerous problems
43
when was the Matteotti Crisis?
1924
44
when did Giacomo Matteotti provide evidence to parliament and what was that evidence?
on 30 May 1924, a leading socialist Matteotti presented evidence to parlt which revealed that fascist violence and the use of terror had influenced the outcome of the April 1924
45
what did Matteotti call for?
the annulment of the election results, and fresh elections
46
when and how was Matteotti murdered?
June 1924, only 11 days after making these allegations within the chamber of deputies, he was kidnapped by fascists and stabbed to death
47
what happened after his disappearance?
it created a political storm, as did the discovery of his body a few weeks later
48
what was the initial reaction from the Italian public to the assassination?
it shocked world opinion and caused widespread criticism of Mussolini and the Fascists the Italian public had no doubt that fascists were implicated in the crime and reacted against fascist rule
49
how did Mussolini react to the assassination?
he denied having any prior knowledge of or any involvement in Matteotti's death, but evidence began to emerge within the Italian press that linked him to the murder
50
who did the press believe was involved with the murdeR?
many believed that the Cheka, a secret hit squad set up by Mussolini, were directly involved
51
what was the initial reaction by the police?
several prominent fascists were arrested in connection with the murder, inc. Filippo Filippelli, Cesare Rossi, and Amerigo Dumini (all linked to Mussolini)
52
when was the Aventine Secession established?
June 1924-25
53
what was the Aventine Secession?
some oppositio MPs withdrew from the chamber of deputies and established a rival parlt
54
what did Secession consist of?
primarily of socialists, communists, and members of the Popolari and they hoped their actions would convince the king to dismiss Mussolini
55
what was the reaction of King Victor Emmanuel III?
he refused to relieve Mussolini of his position as he did not want the left-wing parties gaining more influence or power and feared this would result in civil war
56
what actions did Mussolini take?
press censorship introduced in July 1924 all meetings by opposition political parties or groups were banned in August 1924
57
what was the significance of these actions?
they prompted leading liberals like Orlando, Salandra, and Giolitti to become openly critical of PM, and his initial repressive measures were not enough to take the pressure off him
58
when did some fascists start putting pressure on Mussolini to create a dictatorship?
in december 1924, 33 leading fascists approached him and demanded he establish a dictatorship
59
why did they want this?
they had been angered at the dismissal of chief of police Emilio de Bono, a leading ras, and the resignation of Italo Balbo which led to the replacement of fascist regional militia with army officers
60
what would happen if Mussolini refused?
they would withdraw their support
61
what did Mussolini respond with?
he adhered to their demands and on 3 January 1925 he announced to the Italian parliament that he accepted responsibility for all previous fascist actions and that within 48 hours he would set up a dictatorship
62
why was Mussolini confident in his announcement?
he knew the king would not oppose him, nor would the Chamber of Deputies where he had a secure majority
63
how did he go about setting up a dictatorship?
he implemented a series of constitutional amendments to further embed and strengthen his fascist dictatorship. these were proceeded by a wave of arrests and aggressive measures against opponents
64
how many decrees were issued in January 1926 ?
over 2,000
65
who drafted authoritarian laws?
Alfredo Rocco
66
which laws established the supremacy of the executive powers and subordinations of all institutions to Mussolini?
laws of 24 December 1925 and 31 January 1926
67
when was Mussolini's title changed?
from December 1925 he was known as Il Duce
68
how did local administration get reorganised?
in laws of 4 February 1926, in which elected mayors were replaced with the new office of podesta, selected by royal nomination
69
when was a single national electoral college created?
in a law of 17 May 1928
70
what rights did the Fascist Grand Council get from 1928?
the right to select candidates for the Chamber of Deputies from the names put forward by the fascsit trade unions and other fascist bodies. the electors only then had a choice of approving or rejecting all of the candidates
71
when did the Grand Council become the supreme body of the regime?
9 December 1928 it could amend the constitution, intervene in the succession to the throne, and make a list of those who could succeed Mussolini
72
what measures against the press were taken?
Mussolini increased press censorship nd newspaper owners were pressurised to dismiss editors who had been critical of fascists in the past after December 1925 all journalists ha to have their names on a central official register, controlled by fascsits, before they could seek employment
73
how was this significant?
it effectively allowed the fascists to control the flow of information and new stories within Italy
74
when was the Palazzo Vidoni Pact and what was it?
2 October 1925 it established the official fascist unions as the only representatives of Italy's workers, thereby taking power away from the socialist and catholic unions
75
what was the impact of the Palazzo Vidoni Pact?
the fascist unions were much more subservient to the industrialists, thus gaining their suppprt for the dictatorship
76
what was the impact of the Legge Fascistissime? (1925)
the Fascist laws in 1925 banned all opposition political parties and trade unions that were not aligned with the fascist movement, strengthening Mussolini's contrl over the govt
77
what happened after the assassination attempt on Mussolini in 1926?
he solidified his dictatorship by banning all political parties except the PNF, permanently excluding opposition deputies from parlt, and arresting communist leaders such as Antonio Gramsci
78
what type of dictatorship did Mussolini establish by the end of 1926?
he created a highly personalised dictatorship, where he was both the leader of Italy and the PNF, effectively making Italy a one-party police state by the end of 1926
79
what role did the OVRA and political courts play in Mussolini's regime?
the OVRA, Mussolini's secret police, monitored and persecuted antifascists and other political opponents. political courts, such as the Special Tribunal for the Defence of the State, tried political offenders without the right of appeal
80
what powers did Mussolini gain in January 1926?
he was granted the power to rule by personal decree, allowing him to bypass parliamentary approval when passing laws, further centralising his control over Italy
81
what was Mussolini's secret hit squad ? (hint: Matteotti)
the Cheka

The rise and fall of Fascism in Italy, c1911-1946 (16 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions